T-Reg bug causes difficulty
By LESLIE-ANN HOLT
Problems with the telephone registration system, T-Reg, caused long lines at Student Records last wee since the system would not transfer students to live help or give the option to enter token numbers.
University Registrar Carol Lamoreaux prepared for the problems.
"I wasn't surprised, I was kind of anticipating a few problems," Lamoreaux said.
The previous system (no longer used) was not Y2K compliant so the new one is an updated version that interfaces with Peoplesoft - the new student database. Student Records is dealing with three new systems: telephones, student database and T-Reg.
Although T-Reg was tested during winter break, Monday was the first day students used the system and there were some glitches. The new T-Reg is programmed to ask for token numbers like the previous one, but are now called "permission numbers." The system is also supposed to be able to transfer students to live help, but wiring difficulties caused problems.
"The system should be working by next quarter," Lamoreaux said. "It has all of the features programmed, but they need to be tested and some of the glitches need to be fixed."
A hardware failure affected the implementation timeline, and as a result there was insufficient time to perform adequate testing and make the necessary repairs.
Student Records also had problems printing new grade reports and scheduling confirmations for students, which added to the long lines in the Walsh Administration Building last week. Although Student Records did not hire more help to handle the heavy traffic, they tried to save students time having them fill out add/drop forms. Students were asked to call T-Reg later to confirm their schedules.
"We are struggling a bit with the system, but it will be ready for spring quarter," Lamoreaux said.
For now, students will have to use add/drop forms and go to Student Records with problems. Although students have been inconvenienced, Lamoreaux says the attitudes of students have been great.
"I have had my cranky students, but they've been understanding," Lamoreaux said.
Senior Casey Costello was one of the many students who experienced problems with T-Reg. He dropped a class through telephone registration, but could not add the class he wanted because he had to enter a token number and was not given the option to do so. He went to Student Records to solve the problem.
"The people at Student Records were helpful, but it isn't their responsibility to handle such basic registration functions," Costello said. "The option [for a token number] should be on T-Reg."
Eventually the new system will include a new feature where students can "swap" a class. Instead of dropping a class and finding that a desired class is closed, students will be able to enter both classes and the system will either swap the classes, or tell the student that the class they wish to "swap" is closed.
Lamoreaux said the new system will not be better than the previous one, but will be sufficient.
"We haven't put much effort into improving T-Reg because we want to put that effort into Web resources so students have the option of registering on the Web," Lamoreaux said.Students should not face the same problems with T-Reg in the spring, and can look for some changes in the registration process in the future.